“I was one of the LPNs assigned to the COVID unit during an outbreak at the long-term care home I work at – it was a stressful time for the whole team and me.
To prevent the virus’s spread, we had to make sure all the residents stayed in their rooms. But it was nerve-racking at first because residents with advanced stages of dementia want to socialize.
Over time, we worked out our routines. Some care staff even brought in toys to help residents stay occupied in their rooms, so they were less tempted to wander out.
Every part of the team worked together to help the situation and keep residents safe and happy. And in the end, with support from Fraser Health’s inspection team, we managed to confine COVID to just one resident, and they fully recovered from it.
Now, with the number of cases going up, I’m worried, but since we handled the first outbreak really well, we'll have an idea of how to do it again, if it comes back.
The hard part now, after the outbreak, is seeing the toll this takes on our residents. People are becoming depressed because they’re missing their families. The new visitation rules help, but still, it’s so different from before COVID, families can no longer just stop by and visit for hours.
To get through this, we all need to follow what Dr. Bonnie Henry has to say. Be careful and be more considerate for our elders because they're most affected by this virus.”
Hannah, Licensed Practical Nurse, part of the health care team